Category: Africa

Transnet has issued a Request for Qualification (RFQ) to commence the selection process for a partner in the Private Sector Participation (PSP) project at the Richards Bay Dry Bulk Terminal (RBDBT).

“The issuance of the RFQ marks an important milestone in Transnet’s Reinvent for Growth Strategy and signals the organisation’s readiness to engage the market to strengthen operational performance, attract private investment, and support the long-term sustainability of South Africa’s freight and logistics infrastructure,” the freight logistics company said on Friday.

According to Transnet, the Richards Bay Dry Bulk Terminal is a critical export gateway for South Africa’s bulk commodities, particularly chrome and magnetite. 

Through the PSP process, Transnet seeks to leverage private sector expertise and capital to improve operational efficiency and reliability, while supporting future capacity growth and retaining strategic oversight of the asset.

Furthermore, this project could provide opportunities in areas such as supplier development, local participation, and community upliftment, particularly within the Richards Bay region.

“The RFQ represents the first phase of the partner selection process, and it invites interested parties to demonstrate their technical capability, operational experience, financial capacity, and compliance with Transnet’s requirements,” the company said.

Interested parties are also required to outline measurable plans to drive community upliftment through this PSP project. 

Respondents that meet the qualifying criteria may be invited to participate in a subsequent Request for Proposal (RFP) phase.

“Transnet is committed to conducting the PSP process in a transparent, competitive, and legally compliant manner, aligned with applicable governance frameworks and regulatory requirements. 

“Engagement with key stakeholders, including employees, organised labour, and government, will continue throughout the process,” Transnet said. – SAnews.gov.za

Deputy President Paul Mashatile says three developers are working with Joburg Water to build a 10-megalitre reservoir as part of targeted interventions to address water supply challenges.

In recent weeks, Gauteng residents and businesses experienced intermittent water supply disruptions due to a combination of ageing infrastructure, high demand, leaks in the system, power supply interruptions affecting pumping capacity, and maintenance backlogs.

Water has since been restored. 

READ | Rand Water granted temporary boost to stabilise Gauteng supply

Rand Water, the supplier of bulk potable water, is pumping at full capacity, even though the Commando (which comprises Brixton, Crossby and Hursthill) and Soweto systems, in particular Doornkop and Meadowlands reservoirs, remain constrained with gradual improvement. 

Johannesburg Water continues to monitor all systems closely and implement the necessary interventions to stabilise supply. 

Alternative water is provided to affected areas in a coordinated manner, together with affected Ward Councillors.

In his capacity as the Chairperson of the Water Task Team, the Deputy President conducted an oversight visit to the City of Johannesburg Water facilities in Midrand, Gauteng. 

“We are out of troubled waters for now… There is still a long journey ahead and work that needs to be done, but at least the system is now pumping water to residents. There may still be challenges in some areas, but we are getting there,” he said.

The Deputy President made these remarks on Friday at the construction site of a 20-million-litre reservoir in Carlswald, Midrand.

“This reservoir is planned to supply water for the next 20 years, with further expansion planned beyond that timeframe. The aim is to ensure that, in the future, we do not face water shortages. It will take some time for everything to stabilise, 

“The project is expected to come on stream in July next year. It is an 18-month project and will complement the infrastructure that is already in place,” the Deputy President said.

As part of the immediate action being implemented to fix the water system, government is repairing reservoirs, maintaining pipes, and conducting planned maintenance to stabilise supply.

In addition, Polihali Dam is being constructed in neighbouring Lesotho, and other augmentation projects are being implemented to strengthen long-term supply.

In the 2025/26 financial year, government budgeted approximately R1.7 billion for Johannesburg, specifically for infrastructure. 

“In addition, we are working with National Treasury on service-entity reforms to maximise the performance of entities. Three developers are jointly building a 10-megalitre reservoir with Joburg Water. This initiative is highly appreciated, and I hope other developers across the country will follow this example,” Mashatile said.

Addressing criticism on the use of a task team, he explained that the team is responsible for addressing water challenges in the country.

“The Department of Water and Sanitation is part of the task team, as is the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, along with other departments. When we visit any province, we work closely with the provincial government and municipalities.

“Municipalities bring their expertise, including engineers and technical teams. Our role is to intervene where necessary and ensure that challenges are addressed, while also advising those responsible for the sector to undertake long-term planning.

“The Department of Water and Sanitation will work with provinces and cities to support long-term planning. However, where there are disruptions, quick interventions are required. In such cases, we deploy our own teams, whether it is Rand Water or Magalies Water, depending on who has that responsibility,” he said.

The task team will pool resources to intervene effectively to provide tangible results. 

“When there are challenges, the President wants to know whether they have been fixed, and that is exactly what we are doing,” Mashatile said. – SAnews.gov.za

National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, has welcomed 13 Special Task Force (STF) members into the ranks of the organisation’s elite tactical unit.  

The STF unit deals with high-risk operations that fall beyond the scope of general policing, which requires specialised skills.

Speaking at the Special Task Force Badge Parade held at the South African Police Service (SAPS) Tshwane Academy in Pretoria on Friday, Masemola said the Special Task Force was a strategic national asset. 

“For 18 months, these members have endured one of the most rigorous and uncompromising training programmes within our law enforcement environment,” he said, adding that out of the many people who began this journey, only a few were successful. 

He told the new members that they were not members of the Special Task Force by chance.

“You earned your place through grit, discipline and sacrifice. You were tested physically, mentally and emotionally. You were pushed beyond exhaustion, beyond doubt and beyond fear. The purpose was never to break you, it was to refine you. 

“The Wings and Badges you will wear are not decorations. They are a covenant. A covenant to protect life. A covenant to defend the sovereignty of our Republic. A covenant to stand firm where danger is greatest.

“As members of this elite capability, you will be deployed in situations where seconds determine outcomes, where precision saves lives, and where failure is not an option. You will confront organised crime syndicates, hostage situations, armed suspects, and high-risk operations that demand absolute professionalism,” he said.

Masemola told the members that the nation will rely on their training, their discipline and their judgement.

“But remember this, tactical excellence without ethical grounding is dangerous. Your power must always be guided by restraint. Your authority must always be anchored in accountability. You are not above the law but you are its guardians.

“The Special Task Force embodies the highest ideals of the SAPS: courage, integrity, service and respect for human dignity. Your conduct, both on and off duty, must reflect these values. The badge on your chest carries the reputation of this entire Service,” he said.

To the instructors, Masemola said they carry a profound responsibility.

“You shape those who will stand between chaos and order. Through uncompromising standards, you shape those who will stand between chaos and order. Through uncompromising standards, you ensure that only the most capable earn the honour of this unit. 

“Your leadership ensures that this elite capability remains sharp, disciplined and mission ready. standards, you ensure that only the most capable earn the honor of this unit. Your leadership ensures that this elite capability remains sharp, disciplined and mission ready,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

The climate transition is not only a developmental goal for South Africa, but a matter of survival for humanity and the globe.

This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who chaired the virtual inaugural meeting of the newly elected Presidential Climate Commission on Friday.

“Climate change is an existential threat to the future of humanity and the planet. We must act with others across the globe to ensure that we do not breach the 1.5 degree warming above pre-industrial levels.

“We must reduce carbon emissions at a pace and scale that is appropriate to our national circumstances. We must simultaneously climate-proof our development and infrastructure, while strengthening resilience and disaster management capabilities,” the President urged.

He noted that South Africa is already “experiencing the effects of climate change”, citing flooding in parts of the country as examples of the destruction of climate change.

“[These] are predicted to increase rapidly as we approach the end of this decade and beyond. This could significantly impede our growth and our collective prosperity. It is likely to undermine our efforts to address inequality, poverty and unemployment.

“Addressing climate change must therefore go hand in hand with improving living conditions for all. Those most vulnerable to climate change – including women, children, people with disabilities, the poor and the unemployed – need to be protected,” he emphasised.

Jobs and livelihoods of those working in carbon intensive industries will also need to be protected as South Africa moves towards lowering its carbon emissions.

“As the country works to reduce its carbon footprint, we must ensure that this shift does not disproportionately affect the most vulnerable, such as those who depend on industries like coal mining for their livelihoods.

“This will require inclusive social dialogue and unprecedented levels of cooperation between government, business, labour and communities.

“By bringing together voices from all sectors of society, the PCC will promote consensus on the implementation of economic, social and environmental policies needed to achieve our decarbonisation targets,” he said.

From word to action

The President reflected on the progress made since the PCC’s inception in December 2020 – noting that this marked a “turning point in South Africa’s climate agenda”.

Additionally, the commission has served as a platform for consensus building as the country continues its transition.

“By bringing together government, business, labour, civil society, youth and academia, the PCC has fostered inclusive dialogue and solutions to some of the country’s most complex and contested climate and development challenges.

“It has helped to align diverse interests around common goals such as the phase-down of coal, investment in renewables and the protection of livelihoods.

“It has sought to ensure that policy decisions are both evidence-based and also socially legitimate and widely supported,” President Ramaphosa said.

With the policy groundwork laid, President Ramaphosa stressed that it is now time to move the Just Energy Transition Partnership “from commitment to delivery”.

“We must translate pledges into visible progress on the ground. Among other things, we need to accelerate renewable energy deployment, strengthen and expand transmission infrastructure, enable storage solutions and create space for greater private sector participation.

“We look to this commission for guidance on how to ensure that our energy transition advances energy security, while reducing emissions and maximising the opportunities for our economy from a low carbon transition,” he said.

President Ramaphosa was candid about the challenges that lie ahead, noting the need to learn from past mistakes.

He highlighted the community of Komati in Mpumalanga which has faced economic struggle following the decommissioning of its power station in 2022 without a solid recovery plan.

“As this new commission begins its work, we should not leave important tasks unfinished. For example, we need to attend to the redevelopment of the community of Komati in Mpumalanga who, in the aftermath of the decommissioning of the power station, were left with no economic recovery plan.

“We expect all government departments at all levels to continue to be cooperative, supportive and receptive to the views of the commission. 

“We expect all parts of government to take the PCC’s recommendations forward and work collaboratively on awareness and social dialogue, enabling local action and adjusting policy measures where necessary,” the President said.

He emphasised that all South Africans must be empowered to participate in the country’s energy transition” not as passive beneficiaries of government services and corporate social responsibility grants, but as economic actors”.

“This must be a transition to a transformed, inclusive and more equal economy.

“I call on you as Commissioners to work in close partnership with our key Ministers and their departments to ensure that climate action is fully integrated into our national priorities, from energy and finance to trade, labour and cooperative governance.

“Through coordinated leadership and shared accountability, we can undertake climate action in a manner that advances development, protects livelihoods and unlocks new opportunities for our people,” President Ramaphosa concluded. – SAnews.gov.za